Receive A COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose, President Joe Biden: It Saves Your Life And Those Around

Presiden Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore)

JAKARTA - President Joe Biden received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Monday afternoon local time at the White House, just days after the booster dose was approved by federal health officials.

"We know that to beat this pandemic and to save lives, we need to get people vaccinated," President Biden said in his remarks, citing CNN September 28.

"So please, please do the right thing. Please take this photo. It can save your life and it can save the lives of those around you."

President Joe Biden received the first two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of his inauguration in January. The 78-year-old president is eligible for a booster dose, having received the second dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine more than six months ago, and being in the eligible age group.

On the occasion, President Biden said first lady Jill Biden would also soon receive a booster dose, even though she was not present on Monday afternoon because she was still teaching.

Earlier, President Biden joked on Monday about how he is well over the age of 65, which is part of the reason he qualified for the shoot. He said he had no side effects after getting the first or second shot of the Covid-19 vaccine.

"Boosts are important, but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated," Biden said.

He noted that fully vaccinated Americans are already highly protected from severe disease, and urged people who have not had their first shot to do so as soon as possible.

"The vast majority of Americans are doing the right thing. More than 77% of adults have had at least one dose. About 23 percent haven't had the shot, and a different minority is causing so many of us a lot of damage to the whole country."

"This is a pandemic of unvaccinated people. That's why, I'm moving forward with vaccination requirements wherever I can."

Last Friday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky recommends boosters for a wider group of people, those ages 18 to 64 who are at higher risk of developing COVID-19 because of their workplace or institutional setting, in addition to older adults, residents of long-term care facilities and some people with underlying health conditions.

The CDC recommendations include recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Thursday, when it decided to recommend boosters for people 65 years of age and older and residents of long-term care facilities who received the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine series at least six months ago, and people aged 50 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions.

The CDC also supports the vaccine advisory recommendation that people 18 to 49 years of age with an underlying medical condition can receive a booster based on their individual benefits and risks.

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also authorized emergency use of booster doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in people 65 years of age and older, people at high risk of severe illness, and people whose occupations put them at risk of infection.